Geeta Iyengar is the daughter of B.K.S. Iyengar and a powerful teacher in her own right. I have had the good fortune to study with her on several occasions during my previous India visits in 2000 and 2003 and at two of the U.S. National Iyengar Yoga Conventions in 2001 and 2010. Geetaji is not teaching as much these days and I only expected to have her for the Friday night pranayama classes during this trip. So far we have been privileged to also be in two asana classes that she taught. Geetaji brilliantly sequences her classes and before you know it you have penetrated deeply into an advanced asana as you never have done before.
In one class the target pose was Eka Pada Sirsasana (LOY plate 370). She prepared us with long holds in the classic version of Adho Mukha Virasana (knees together, feet apart) and Pasasana (legs only) heels down without support, no exceptions! As we squatted she had us pump up and down, away from and then toward the heels. She said, "You give your students props for the heels and then they never change". And wouldn't you know it many more heels were touching! We continued to work on flexibility in the ankles and toes doing what Geetaji called Adho Mukha Surya Namaskarasana. Gulnaz clarified for us the next day that this is the prostration one would do "in a temple before your god or guru". Squatting in Pasasana (with heels touching the floor ;-), rock forward over the toes, place forehead to ground and then reverse going back to Pasasana. As many of my students know, I have a repertoire of things I like to teach for the feet and ankles. Heads up! Now I have more. The class continued with a "forward bend version" of headstand (think Pasasana legs), Supta Kurmasana, Kurmasana, Malasana and then multiple repetitions of coaxing the foot to the forehead, to the top of the head, and the now real possibility of behind the head in Eka Pada Sirsasana.
The second class was an invigorating session of inversions and backbends. We pumped our armpits in down dog, stood on our arms in full arm balance and lifted our heads off the floor in headstand. Then using this technique of lifting the head from the floor, we dropped back from Salamba Sirsasana into Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana. It was slick and worked very well. Best thing for me was this class along with a delicious, restorative practice I did in the afternoon, fixed me from the "blahs" I woke with. I was afraid that I was heading for a cold. Instead, that night I slept so well and woke ready to go again.
One does not forget Geetaji's classes whether it be a specific action, the penetration into cellular memory, or an attitude. During my first visit, Geetaji touched my side ribs to move them inward when I was twisting in Bharadvajasana. I still feel that touch whenever I do twists. Due to her health, she mostly teaches seated on the platform now and doesn't move around within the class. But she sees everywhere. I will remember from this trip her eyes honing in on my wayward knee when prepping for Eka Pada Sirsasana. She corrected me and when I did, her face softened and she said yes. The big, big lesson she imparted to us was to be humble. It is difficult not to be in her presence.
I will end with these words paraphrased from Geetaji: If you make effort then it is OK to fail. But do not fail before making effort.
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